Around Town then at the Beach, Wednesday Evening

"This doesn't," Ino informed him, probably unnecessarily, "count as that date you asked for."

Him showing up at the end of her shift with the express purpose of them hanging out together was not, in any way, a date, after all. Friends did that all the time.

And really, so what if they'd kissed in the clinic? (Twice now, if you included the mistletoe.) It wasn't like that really meant anything. Not for just a walk.

... Ino was possibly over-thinking this, why yes.

That didn't stop her from grinning winsomely up at him. She had studying to do, of course. But somehow studying took a backseat to... hanging out with Zack.

[For the modded with permission puppy!]